


The Space Between

by Filidh



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Catharsis, F/F, Near Death Experiences, One Shot Collection
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-21
Updated: 2020-08-21
Packaged: 2021-03-06 14:40:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26020543
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Filidh/pseuds/Filidh
Summary: A collection of one-shots, character studies, short stories, and more about our adventurous band of troublemakers between their more daring and eye-catching escapades.1. What happens when the diamonds finally run out?2. A jade dust tattoo and a haircut.
Relationships: Beauregard Lionett/Yasha, Jester Lavorre/Beauregard Lionett
Comments: 3
Kudos: 77





	1. Desperation and Diamonds

_What a time to run out of diamonds._

The giants had come from seemingly nowhere, blending into the craggy pass and evading their gaze until it was too late. And unfortunately, these weren’t the stupid kind. 

A rockslide triggered by two standing high up on the side of the pass had sent a landslide of boulders almost 40 ft high crashing down, cutting the party in half. Jester, Beau, and Nott were stuck with the rocks to their backs and two large giants storming towards them. 

Nott had dashed and darted about as Beau stood her ground against both, back to Jester and fierce determination on her face. One giant fell to a spectacular combination of Nott’s bolt and a devastating roundhouse that drove the bolt into the giant’s body until it was invisible. The creature had staggered before falling. The other, however, had used this chance to run Beau through with its wicked dark metal spear. Beau grunted as she seized the spear, holding it fast within her chest as Nott fired a bolt straight into the giant’s eye. The giant toppled, hand still gripping the spear and ripping it out of Beau’s chest with a sickening crunch. Beau made no more sound and crumpled to the ground with a resounding thud.

Jester sprinted the few steps to Beau, skidding to her knees as she came to rest beside her. The monk was still, frighteningly so, lying on her right side, eyes open and fixed. Sweat and blood trickled down her face, now much paler than before. Jester wrapped an arm around the small of her back and one around her neck, pulling Beau into her lap facing her, hugging the monk’s body to her. She shot the strongest wave of healing energy she could muster into the monk’s body and waited, dread threatening to completely swallow her. Beau was still warm, and Jester felt a sob bubbling up in her as Beau lay heavy, arms not moving up to hug back. As she laid the monk back into her lap the world seemed to slow for a moment as the sun glinted off one of the cleric’s shoulders, causing her tattoo to glitter ever so slightly.

_To glitter like-_

A burst of adrenaline coursed through her body as she ripped her cloak off, breaking the clasp completely. She closed her eyes and began to concentrate.

_Traveler help me, please. I can’t lose her. I-_

The magic began to course through her, to hum and vibrate. The vibrations began to settle into her shoulders and chest, and the sensation was almost painful. As she opened her eyes, she couldn’t help but gasp as the tattoo itself was glowing. The diamond hands of the Traveler seemed almost to move, to flex. Jester pulled Beau up to her again, with their chests touching, and nestled her head against Beau’s neck. As she released the magic, she buried her face into Beau’s wild hair, tears flowing freely again.

“Please don’t go” she whispered, hardly louder than a breath.

The effect on her was instantaneous. Her chest felt like she was being branded with a white-hot iron, and she screamed out despite herself at the unexpected pain. The magic pulsed from her into the still body in her arms and she prayed harder than she ever had.

And as the pain subsided, she pulled back, gripping the back of Beau’s neck with her left hand and searching for any signs of life in her eyes. The was an agonizing pause, a moment where nothing happened.

Two moments.

And then a spark of green twinkled into Beau’s right eye, and her eyelids fluttered before she began to look about, taking in a ragged breath. She locked eyes with the Tiefling in front of her before, with just enough time to crack a weak smile before she was drawn into a spine crushing hug.

Beau laughed weakly and wrapped her arms around Jester as she buried her face into the warm, familiar body in front of her. 

If this was what dying was like, maybe it wasn’t so bad after all.


	2. Moving Forward

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes survival means moving forward. And sometimes moving forward means a new haircut and a magical tattoo.

The trip back from Rumblecusp was blessedly less eventful than the trip there, and with Fjord at the helm of Eden’s Horizon, they made good time. At dawn on the third day, Nicodranas became visible on the horizon, and as they pulled into port around midday, Beau was struck by the thought that she was quite ready for a long rest from any more seafaring adventures. 

Their plans still up in the air for where to go next, they met at the Lavish Chateau, complete with a plethora of booze, meats, and pastries. It was decided that they would stay for one week before plotting their next course. A much-needed vacation for everyone.

The week passed quickly for Beau, as she was left mostly to her own devices, everyone splitting off to track down fine paper, tend to the ship, visit with family, and shop at the local markets. Mostly she worked out, trained down by the beach, and occasionally the group would meet back up for dinners and nights of drinking.

Nights that Yasha has been suspiciously absent from.

She was easy enough to find, not in any seeming danger, and Beau didn’t get the feeling that she was ignoring her specifically, but there was an undeniable sadness about the woman as of late.

So, when Beau stumbled upon Yasha after sunset on the fourth day while on a run, she almost did not say anything. Yasha was several miles out of the city, where the beach towered into craggy cliffs overlooking the swirling dark ocean. Seemed like a good enough hint for her, and she turned to alter her course along the cliff edges.

It was then she caught a glint of light, metal reflected by a moon that was rapidly being obscured with clouds. A knife, clutched in her right hand, and as she looked closer, she could see the neck of a dark bottle gripped in her other hand. Yasha sat still, head tilted down, staring at the knife in her hand. At the top of this cliff, about 100 ft from the water below, the wind was strong, and it seemed to be getting stronger by the minute, wild gusts whipping the sparse patches of grass that grew in the cracks of the rocky outcropping.

A sense of unease settled in Beau’s gut, that she attempted to shrug off. She couldn’t help but stop, though, and turn back to the other woman.

“Hey Yasha, I think everyone’s meeting back at the Chateau for booze n’ shit. You wanna walk back with me?”

Yasha didn’t react, didn’t even look up, and Beau narrowed her eyes. She was right then, something was off.

“No thank you, Beau.”

“Okay…Whatcha doing?”

Yasha took a moment before she spoke, eyes fixed on the weapon in her hand, never looking at Beau. “I have been very impressed with your and Jester and Veth’s tattoos, you know. I’ve been thinking- I spoke with Orly about getting one for myself tomorrow.”

“Oh, right on, yeah, it’s cool. Some people say it hurts a lot, just fair warning. Even heard somebody passed out. You know, definitely not me. Just some people.”

Yasha remained silent.

“Uh,” Beau was keenly aware of how awkward the tension in the air was. “So what are you gonna get?”

“I did not choose a design, but he said that if I brought him jade then it could help me not… I am- I just- I am tired of not being in control. I don’t- I don’t want to hurt anyone else.”

After a moment of uncomfortable silence, Yasha rolled her shoulders with a sigh.

“And I thought why not make it easier to tattoo,” she said, gesturing with the knife to her hair covering her neck and falling down her back.

“Oh, yeah, and it’s always, like, really…hot around here and…stuff,” Beau finished lamely, grimacing at herself.

More silence.

“So, uh, when was the last time you cut it?”

“Not for a long time. It has gotten…heavy” and for the first time Beau heard her voice crack.

“Yeah,” offered Beau, desperately wishing she had Caduceus or Jester or ANYBODY better at this than her with them.

Yasha reached the hand up to her head but even from where she stood some ten feet away, Beau could see it shaking fiercely.

“Do you,” Beau’s voice cracked and she cleared throat, coughed, “Do you want, uh-“

Yasha looked back over her shoulder to Beau, then back down to the knife. Yasha set down the bottle and inspected the knife, paused, and then flipped it, hilt out to Beau.

Beau stepped forward and gently took it. Whatever Yasha was thinking, she gave nothing out, and simply turned back to face the ocean, back ramrod straight. The clouds had moved closer now, dark and heavy even against the night sky, and the ocean below them has begun to turn choppy from the wind beating about.

Tentatively at first, and almost reverently, Beau lifted the knife to the mass of black and white hair. As she cut, she couldn’t help but notice all the intricate braids, some with metal bands, beads, and colorful cloth woven in. A lifetime of memories. A lifetime of pain. Were some of these given by her wife? Her friends, before she was ripped from her home? And who was she to cut them?

As Beau cut, the sky grew darker still, and a fine drizzle began. Quickly the rain and wind pick up, but Beau was determined to finish, squinting in the darkness, and as she took the last braid and sliced through, the clouds fully opened, the rain beating down upon them. Where Yasha’s hair had previously tumbled down to her mid-back, it now hung just below her chin, almost touching her shoulders.

Yasha took the hair from the ground beside her and hesitated for a moment, grip tightening on the bundle, before silently flinging it off the cliff into the choppy sea. She stood motionless, staring off into the dark.

Beau struggled for something to say, a million thoughts rising but dying on her tongue.

No words seemed to rise to the occasion.

So, she did one of the few things she WAS good at. Placing her hand on Yasha’s back between her shoulder blades and focusing on calming her own Ki, hoping to radiate it to Yasha.

Yasha closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

Beau cleared her throat quietly, eyes trained on the side of Yasha’s face as she worked up the nerve to speak.

“You moving forward isn’t forgetting her. It’s surviving. You deserve to be happy Yasha.”

No words, but a ragged exhale. And Yasha turned to face her.

There was almost no space between them, and Beau’s heart thumped hard. She tentatively held out her arms and Yasha hesitated only a second before leaning into her hug, resting her face on the top of Beau’s head, breathing in her hair. They stayed like that for what felt like an eternity and a single second at the same time and she could feel the release as Yasha almost sagged against her.

Yasha finally broke the hug first, pulling back and tilting her head to the sky, taking in the rain and storm anew. Beau said nothing, simply watching with a small smile, eyes soft. She was so fixated on Yasha’s face that, at first, she didn’t notice. Yasha’s head was tilted up, chin to the sky, but Beau could still see her hair, coal black, as it stuck to the sides of her face and neck. And it was turning white. Like soot and oil falling away under the rivulets of water, the black strands were being overtaken by white that almost glowed.

“Oh my god Yasha,” Beau breathed out, eyes wide, staring.

Yasha looked immediately alarmed.

“What, what is wrong?”

“I- Your hair,” whispered Beau, putting a hand over her mouth.

“What do you mean my hair- you were the one who cut it,” she huffed, pink beginning to stain her cheeks.

An awestruck laugh escaped as Beau pointed.

“No Yasha it’s- it’s turning white.”

“It’s- what?” Yasha grabbed the shorter strands of hair, attempting to pull them over her face to see for herself.

“Huh, wow- I. It is white.”

Beau laughed again and almost without thinking reached out to touch a lock. 

“You really are something Yasha,” said Beau, only half joking.

“Well, I think this should make the tattoo easier,” said Yasha, a small smile returning to her face.

“Thank you.”

“Yeah, no problem. It’s cool.”

“Cool,” Yasha echoes, a blush still across her cheeks.

Beau nods, acutely aware that if she opened her mouth right now, nothing coming out would make any sense and she had done pretty well so far.

“Ahh well,” a conspiratorial grin began to spread across Yasha’s face,” Wanna go flying?”

Beau pretended to think about it for a whole two seconds, hand coming up to stroke her chin before a wide grin broke onto her face. “Um? Fuck yeah.”

Yasha stepped up to Beau, scooping her into her arms and Beau could feel both of their hearts pound. Yasha spun around and began running towards the edge of the cliff-

Just as a massive peal of thunder shook the ground, lighting flashing and arcing in the ocean about 50 yards away. Yasha skidded to a stop at the edge of the cliff. They both looked out at the sea, then back at each other.

“Mmm,” hummed Yasha, unsure. “Maybe we wait till after the lightning,” said Yasha, smiling sheepishly.

They both burst into laughter, as Beau rested her head against Yasha’s collarbone.

And there on the cliff face of Nicodranas in the pouring rain and fierce storm, it finally felt like there could be a new beginning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to TiamatZX for the fantastic prompt idea. Writing with Yasha and Beau turned out to be more challenging than I originally thought, but I think it turned out decently well.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey all! This is my first dive into writing for Critical Role and the Nein but I've watched since mid-campaign 1, so if anyone wants any one-shots from Vox Machina too please let me know! I'm also open to suggestions if anyone has anything they wanna see that I haven't thought to explore yet. These will mostly be just small ideas and thoughts about interesting scenarios I wonder about in my spare time.


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